Deuxième Chance
by caleno
Summary: Erik ponders. Alot.


Title: Deuxième Chance (Second Chance)

Author: Caleno

Rating: G/K

Pairing: E/C

Summary: Erik ponders. Alot.

Disclaimer: Not mine. Celeste is Phan-Chan's.

Version: Movie & elements of Leroux & Phan-Chan :)

Author's Notes: Inspired by the PHANTASTIC phanart of phan--chan 'Hush, little One'

Deuxième Chance

The first cry woke him. With a voice to rival her mother's and father's, it was hardly surprising. While Erik was still recovering from the shock, motherly instincts rose in the Christine as she bolted upright in their bed, and cried "The baby!" with a bewildering look in her eyes.

Seeing how tired she was looking, Erik soothed her as you would a frightened horse, before laying her back down on the bed telling her to go back to sleep while he attended to Celeste. Christine only mumbled something before drifting into unconscious, as Erik kissed her cheek before donning his robe and slippers and leaving the bedroom.

As he walking down the short hallway, Erik contemplated how he managed to get so lucky. By all rights, Christine should never have returned to him that night when the Paris Opera house fell to pieces above their heads. Surly she would have married that idiotic Fop De Chagney and bared his child, Erik thought with a grimace. However, as he entered the nursery to see his beautiful baby girl screaming for attention, that was not the case. Thankfully.

"Shush, my little one. What's all this noise for?" he coddled his daughter, picking her up out of the cradle to hold her safely to him. It never cessed to amaze him how much joy he got from simply looking at this child. This glorious little angel, perfect in every way imaginable. More than likely because she was a carbon copy of her mother, from her sweet face, to her curly chestnut looks, which were considerably long for a child of only 7 months.

While being held by her father, Celeste immediately quietened and stared up at him with her silver eyes, her only physical inheritance from him, Erik thought happily.

On learning of Christine's pregnancy, he was torn between dancing for joy at the thought of a child with the only woman he ever loved and weeping in fear that the babe in her womb may have the same wretched condition as he. While pregnant with Celeste, Christine would not discuss the matter, only saying what was to happen, would happen and that no one could control otherwise. Once, Erik had dark thoughts of asking Christine to rid herself of the child, for fear it would earn the same hated and loathing for her as he did from his mother. These thoughts though were quickly dashed as the watched Christine blossom in her pregnancy, happy and excited as any expect mother.

He would never forget the moment he first laid eyes on his beautiful child. Firstly, he had been worried for Christine who was completely fine, only resting, according to the midwife, but then he noticed the tiny little bundle in the cot beside her. He approached cautiously (the midwife must have thought him quiet strange), only the see this child was only marred by her beauty. He wept tears of joy on learning this was his wonderful daughter.

Jarred from his thoughts by a happy giggle from Celeste, he was reminded of the task at hand. "Hush, little one. Your mother would be furious to know you're still awake."

But already her little eyelids had begun to droop. She grabbed onto the forefinger of his hand, as she was want to do, while sucking her own left thumb.

While quietly humming to send her back to sleep, Erik thanked any God that was listening for this second chance with Christine and their child. He would have been more than satisfied to have Christine with him, but now with Celeste, who was the physical and miraculous proof of their love, he felt his heart might just burst with joy.

On noticing she was now sound asleep again, Erik kissed his little angel's head before placing her back in her cradle, and tucking the blankets around her. Yawning, he made his way back to the bedroom to find his love just as he left her. On removing his slippers and robe, he climbed back into bed and situated himself around Christine. Just like he had with his little angel, he placed a kiss on the forehead of His Angel and cuddled around her.

Yes. Very lucky, indeed.


End file.
